The days are getting cooler, the nights are getting longer, and Roskilde Festival is starting to become a distant memory. Yes, summer is slowly coming to an end. And while we’ve still got a few more weeks of music festivals to look forward to, maybe it’s time to start thinking ahead to next year.

If you missed the opportunity to serve food at some of the major events in Denmark this summer, or you want to do more and bigger festivals next year, here are some of the reasons you should make every effort to get your food stand at Roskilde Festival in 2017.

1. The huge crowds

According to Roskilde’s information package for trade stalls, attendees spend an average of 2850 DKK throughout the course of the festival on food, drinks, and merchandise. Wouldn’t it be nice for your business to earn a piece of that?

2. Low crime

If you’re worried that huge crowds will lead to a higher potential for break-ins to your stall, don’t be. During the entire length of the festival, the crime rate is equal to what you would expect from one regular Friday night in the city of Roskilde. The laidback atmosphere and community feeling of the festival remind attendees to look out for one another.

3. Plenty of camping

Many festivals offer alternatives to camping, providing shuttles to nearby hotels or selling plenty of single-day tickets. At Roskilde Festival, however, the aim is for attendees to immerse themselves in an eight-day-long experience. That means single-day tickets are limited and music fans are encouraged to attend the whole festival. Camping is also a unique experience at Roskilde, with tents being set up long before the music even starts and pre-parties abound.

By staying on the festival grounds for longer, festival-goers are less inclined to go into the city looking for food. If your dishes are delicious enough, you may be seeing a lot of repeat customers over the eight days – and there’s no reason why locals shouldn’t continue to stop by your food shop once the festival is over and everyone is back in the city.

4. Support a non-profit

Roskilde Festival is a not-for-profit festival. Each year the organizers decide on which charities to support related to that year’s theme. In 2017 and 2018, Roskilde will be continuing its theme of equality.

As a food stand owner, you will be able to keep what you earn – selling items at the festival is a common way for local organizations to fundraise. But all profits from ticket sales are given to charities like Doctors Without Borders, Amnesty International, and the World Wildlife Fund. By selling at Roskilde Festival, you’re supporting an effort to improve the greater community.

If there’s a charity you’re particularly eager to endorse, you can submit your nomination on the Roskilde Festival website until 26 August 2016.

5. No food waste

Planning to serve thousands of people in a short amount of time can be difficult, and you may end up purchasing much more food than you need. Luckily, in keeping with its goal of sustainability, Roskilde Festival has found a solution to cut down on food waste at the event.

In 2015, the anti-food-waste organization Det Runde Bord collected 35 tonnes, or 85,000 meals, that were uneaten by festival attendees. Those leftover meals were then passed on to those who need them most – the homeless, poor, and others who cannot afford to feed themselves.

6. The music

When you purchase a food stall at Roskilde, you’re provided with at least four wristbands for you and your employees to enjoy the festival. And with recent headliners including Neil Young, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Paul McCartney, the Rolling Stones, and Rihanna, you’re sure to find a show you’ll love.

Macklemore and Ryan Lewis were part of a variety of musicians performing at Roskilde Festival in 2016. Photo credit: Amanda Smith via Roskilde Festival

We’re right in the middle of the annual weeklong Roskilde Festival taking place less than an hour outside of Copenhagen. With another sold-out crowd, more than 80,000 people will be enjoying a few days of music, art, communal living, and, of course, food.

While food and festivals go hand-in-hand, there’s a lot of thought required in putting together a menu that will serve a diverse group of people with different tastes and dietary restrictions. If you’re considering selling your dishes at such large events in the future, here are a few things to keep in mind when feeding festival-goers.

1. Keep them hydrated.

The weather is nice and everyone is spending every possible moment outside. After a long winter, chances are we’ve forgotten how dangerous the sun can be and aren’t drinking nearly enough to fight the heat. If your guests are tired of lugging around a water bottle all day, or if they simply prefer a beer with their meal, you can provide hydration by offering dishes with lots of juicy produce like watermelon or cucumbers.

3. Serve healthy carbs for energy.

Festival-goers need to keep their strength up if they plan on dancing for hours every day into the night. You’d do well to serve some healthy carbs, like corn, oats, or sweet potatoes, to give your guests the energy they need to keep the party going. Just make sure not to serve anything too bloating – even in bad weather, plenty of people will still have brought along their crop tops and short-shorts.

4. Keep it clean.

Showers are a luxury at a festival. That’s why you need to ensure that you provide some mess-less food options so guests aren’t stuck wearing the same outfit for days on end. Try to have at least some dishes that aren’t swimming in sauce, and make sure your plates are big enough that they can catch condiments dripping from burgers. Always have enough napkins on hand.

5. Keep it clean – for the environment.

While you’re protecting your guests from sauce spillage, you should do your part to protect the earth from garbage as well. One of the unique aspects of festivals is the communal living, with everyone pitching in to help keep their temporary living quarters clean. Instead of using paper plates and plastic cutlery, why not try serving your meals on regular porcelain dishes and charging a deposit to ensure everything is brought back? You can also invest in compostable paper plates and utensils that are more environmentally friendly.

6. Test your new ideas.

Have you come up with a dish that you’re just not sure will go over well with your customers? Festivals are full of adventurous and open-minded people, making them the ideal venue to try out your new concoctions. With plenty of visitors coming from abroad as well, you can get creative with international dishes.

Festivals are a fantastic opportunity to share your love of food. If you’re planning on selling at one soon, we hope these tips will help you to serve up a great experience for your guests as part of an unforgettable event. And if you missed the chance to set up a booth at this year’s Roskilde Festival, you can always stream the show live in your shop and get your customers in the mood for the next big festival.

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